The powerlifting team from Great Britain had a couple of incredible representatives at the 2023 EPF European Open Classic Powerlifting Championships, which took place on December 4-9, in Tartu, Estonia. Unsurprisingly, Sophia Ellis was one of the athletes who performed the best as she once again displayed dominance in the 76-kilogram weight class. Having already tasted glory at the EPF European Championships back in 2022, Sophia’s main goal this year was to defend her title. Well, she walked away satisfied once again, claiming her second consecutive title as well as a 245.5-kilogram (541.2-pound) Raw Deadlift EPF European Record.
Since Sophia Ellis competed in the raw division, the only piece of equipment that she was allowed to use for her deadlifts was a lifting belt. So, it is safe to say that she displayed power and strength in the purest form.
Following two successful deadlift attempts, the time came for Sophia Ellis to wrap up her performance and push herself to the limits. Luckily, even after all the lifts she performed beforehand, Sophia had enough left in her to go for a 245.5-kilogram (541.2-pound) final deadlift attempt. So, she set up the sumo stance, utilized the mixed grip, swung her braided hair back, and started pulling. The only trouble she encountered came in the lockout phase of the deadlift, where it seemed uncertain if she could straighten up. However, she managed to lock it out and score a new record.
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Sophia Ellis weighed in at 74.6 kilograms (164.8 pounds) for the 2023 EPF European Open Classic Powerlifting Championships, meaning she was comfortably below the 76-kilogram weight class threshold. She executed all nine of her attempts as well, due to which she outperformed the second-place finisher by 15.5 kilograms (34.2 pounds) overall.
Squat
162.5 kilograms (358.2 pounds)
175 kilograms (385.8 pounds)
180 kilograms (396.8 pounds)
Bench Press
110 kilograms (242.5 pounds)
117.5 kilograms (259 pounds)
122.5 kilograms (270 pounds)
Deadlift
222.5 kilograms (490.5 pounds)
235 kilograms (518.1 pounds)
245.5 kilograms (541.2 pounds) — U76KG EPF World Record
Data Source: Open Powerlifting. Last Updated: August 17, 2023
Sophia Ellis has 31 sanctioned appearances to her name so far, of which she managed to win 15. She is a 2x EPF European Champion, as well as a 4x British National Champion. Moreover, she has now extended her European Deadlift Record, which proves that she deserves to be ranked among the best powerlifters in the world.
If you have questions or need clarifications, please leave a comment below, and Vedad will respond promptly.
Vedad is a journalist specializing in strength sports, with three years of experience covering powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, strongman, armwrestling and bodybuilding. He is a lifelong fitness enthusiast, passionate about all aspects of strength training. Vedad's in-depth knowledge of training methodologies and dedication to constant research fuel his insightful and engaging reporting. He works hard to deliver accurate content while continuously seeking to improve his craft.
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